A Huge Win for Long Beach - A Safer Blue Line

Well, we did it. Today, the Metro Board of Directors unanimously voted to contract with the Long Beach Police Department (LPBD) to patrol the Blue Line and the 8 stops through the City of Long Beach.

Many people don't know that LBPD has traditionally not had jurisdiction over the Blue Line. That was the job of the LA County Sheriff. We had no control over the safety of the line, but that changes starting this March.

This $30 million multi-year contract will allow Long Beach to hire approximately 30 new police officers and personnel to patrol the Blue Line. This vote is a step in the right direction for the future of the Blue Line and the larger Metro system.

In Long Beach, this means response times will improve dramatically as Metro predicts they could fall from 14 minutes to less than five. Over the next year, we will make the Blue Line safer and improve the quality of life for Blue Line riders.

The main reason I joined the Metro Board of Directors was because of the Blue Line. In order for our city to encourage mobility via public transit, we have to ensure the security of passengers. And that’s what this contract will do. In the months ahead, you will also see new investments, traffic light synchronization, new rail cars and dramatic improvements to the Blue Line.

Thanks to your support, I am proud to have made this motion in my first month as a Metro Board member. I want to thank our Long Beach Police Department, the City Council, the Downtown Long Beach Alliance, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the numerous supporters who sent letters and advocated for this change.

I know how much it meant to our community and to our riders, which is why I look forward to continuing to represent the City of Long Beach at Metro.